By Zoila Palma: The Guatemalan government has started the withdrawal of Cuban doctors from its public health system following the termination of a bilateral agreement that allowed their deployment, Prensa Libre reports.
The Ministry of Health confirmed that 93 Cuban doctors are scheduled to leave the country in April 2026 as part of the initial phase of the process.
Guatemalan officials said the Cuban Medical Brigade previously consisted of 412 members, including 333 doctors, who were assigned across 11 types of facilities within Guatemala’s public healthcare network.
Under the agreement signed with the Cuban Embassy, the government had committed to paying each member a monthly stipend of Q7,000, along with covering return airfare.
However, the Ministry clarified that it did not purchase plane tickets for the group departing in April, noting instead that the Cuban Embassy arranged travel in coordination with Guatemalan business leaders.
Guatemalan authorities added that additional groups of Cuban personnel are expected to leave in August, with departures to be carried out in phases.
The agreement, last signed in 2024 and set to run until 2027 without renewal, is being phased out as part of a policy shift aimed at strengthening domestic healthcare capacity.
The move follows earlier U.S. visa restrictions linked to the programme and comes amid ongoing investigations by the Public Prosecutor’s Office into more than 60 complaints involving Cuban doctors related to non-compliance with legal requirements and public safety, the report shared.
The post International News: Cuban Doctors begin departing Guatemala after agreement ends appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: The Guatemalan government has started the withdrawal of Cuban doctors from its public health system following the termination of a bilateral agreement that allowed their deployment, Prensa Libre reports. The Ministry of Health confirmed that 93 Cuban doctors are scheduled to leave the country in April 2026 as part of the initial
The post International News: Cuban Doctors begin departing Guatemala after agreement ends appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
